Abstract: In the fourth chapter of Multiple Intelligences, author Thomas Armstrong suggests that for students to get the most out of their education, they must be informed of the various ways their brain works. This not only allows teachers to get a better understanding of how the students learn, but it also allows the students to reflect and investigate how their brain works and how they learn best, creating a classroom environment where everyone is working towards the best possible student success and knowledge. Armstrong continues within the chapter to highlight many of the multiple ways MI theory can be integrated into a classroom, expressing that it is important to "build inclusion." He goes on to say that he "steers clear of questions that might exclude lots of students... this is a learning model for celebrating all of one's potential for learning." Some of the examples for integration he references include Career Days, field trips, experimental actives, general icebreakers, readings, games, and MI tables, where students visit different stations based on each intelligence. The latter allows the teacher to view their progress and fluency in each intelligence, and allows the student to investigate their brain on their own time, in their own way.
Synthesis: Reading over and dissecting the opinions and views of my fellow educators, I found that we all understand the extreme and beneficial boons given when we teach MI theory to our students. Much of the time, teachers expect students know little about how they think, and the teachers set up varied lesson and learning plans attuned to the teacher's beliefs on knowledge, not how their students actually learn. By investing the time in their acquisition of knowledge and opening up the world of MI to the students, they have a "greater sense of fulfillment and reason for being in the classroom," as Cole said. Kids need names for how they learn, which, as Ashley says, allows them to think back on their thought processess and fix what wasn't working. It begins a process of thought and effort that will not stop. By teaching MI theory to the students, it's opening up doors they never dreamed were there, and allows them to grown in their intelligences outside of the classroom as well. Meghan and Devin both highlighted how it isn't much of a task, either, to implement the discussion into class - MI theory can easily be taught in the veil of a theme essay or a science experiment. Matt summed up all our opinions very well, stating: "Kids that are inspired in the topic at hand are more likely to have a longer lasting interest and understanding... the better their chances are of being positive, proactive thinkers."
Cole Phillips
Where it is important for us, as teachers, to comprehend MI theory, to implement it in the classroom, and to keep a careful eye on how it causes classes to unfold, we must be careful not to exclude our greatest resource and those who deserve to know most about MI theory: our students.
It has been determined that children as young as six or seven can become involved with the process of understanding MI. There are various ways to instruct such abstract theories, and such instruction must be catered to the age group, but in doing so we can find that children and adolescents alike can make huge strides in learning, just by recognizing what they need and, subsequently, seeking it out. To enable a student with the ability to let the instructor know exactly what he or she needs and why he or she needs it in specific terms helps teachers everywhere begin creating a more personalized experience for the student and, ultimately, a greater sense of fulfillment and reason for being in the classroom to begin with. Whether via field trips, biographies and other readings, experiential activities, wall displays and charts, or any other conceivable means of introducing the concepts of MI to students, we must understand that it is wholly possible to do so, and that students and teachers alike will benefit from the knowledge.
Cheyenne
Chapter four described ways teachers can use all eight intelligences in their classroom. It is important for students to learn about the eight intelligences. I think that there are many students who don’t really know what intelligences they possess, but at the same time, they know the intelligences they struggle with. Once a student finally realizes their main intelligence they can be more successful in the classroom and out of the classroom as well. It can help their teachers too! If a student knows what works and what doesn’t and they can explain that they learn in a specific way because of their learning style being one of the eight Multiple Intelligences. When a student can talk to their teacher about this it will help the teacher form a learning plan specific to that student. I really enjoyed the line, “all of you are intelligent—and not just in one way. Each of you is intelligent in at least eight different ways.” The reason I liked this a lot is because I think it is important for all students to know they are smart, even if they don’t think they are. Everyone has a specific intelligence, everyone is capable of learning and being smart. I think there were many great examples of ideas a teacher can propose so students can learn what their intelligence is. Some ideas included field trips, biographies, a human intelligence hunt, and more. These are all great ideas that will my students as well as myself. Chapter 4: Teaching Students about MI Theory
Russell Warren
I continue to be amazed by the simple but hidden aspects of teaching a classroom and including students. The idea to provide the students with a metacognitive study by actually teaching them the theories you, as a teacher, are applying, is a huge boon to the classroom. Not only do the students feel they have a say in their education and learn more about multiple intelligences, breaking the circle of single intelligence, but the teacher also gains an insight into the workings of the students’ brains through their own words. Unfortunately, “children go into schools as question marks and leave school as periods” (p. 45), but by allowing them to understand their own various abilities, they’ll hopefully continue to feel confident about their capacities. There are also ways to open the floors for the students to discover their abilities on their own. In Multiple Intelligences, they suggest various examples to showcase the different intelligences. I found the most effective was the concept of MI tables: “Set up eight tables in the classroom, each clearly labeled with a sign referring to one of the eight intelligences. On each table, place an activity card indicating what the students are to do.” (p. 50). Armstrong goes on to explain how to regulate the movement of the students, but I feel it might be better and more revealing to allow the students to pick which station they would want to start out at, have them list choices, and respond afterwards in a journal. That way, you gain insight into how enthusiastic any given student is over a subject, but also receive information on how they respond to the other intelligences and gives you the ability to form a rough outline based on visible evidence.
Ashley Libby
This chapter is just as the title says. It is about making sure the students know and understand the MI theory and how it relates to them. This chapter uses the explanation to a more elementary classroom and even possibly a middle school classroom. Of course everything can be modified for a higher age group. Obviously as college students, we understand the vocabulary used in the MI theory but we have to remember that the students we are teaching this to, are not at a college reading level. The chapter gives many examples on how to plan certain activities that involve all intelligences so that students can understand them easier and see them in action. This particular teacher used a MI Pizza so that the students could see all of the intelligences together and also see that not one intelligence is larger or smaller than the others. This can show the students that no matter what learning style they use, they all are still the same and they are all learners. The author put each intelligence into smaller more understandable terms for students of a certain age group. He used words such as “People smart” and “Picture smart” instead of Interpersonal and Spatial. This way they know the same of the intelligence (that’s easy for them to understand and pronounce) and a sense as to what it is about.As a teacher, I have to understand that every student learns differently but it is also important for the students to know as well. It is my job to provide those opportunities for my students. I have to give them the opportunity to understand themselves as a learner and to provide them the opportunity to learn the way that best fits them.
Christopher Vogel
As with almost all of the other chapters read so far, chapter four discusses ways to incorporate multiple or all intelligences in the classroom. As opposed to chapter three that talks about homing in on a single strong intelligence, chapter four discusses balanced or overlapping methods to teach the different intelligences. The chapter talks about how teaching multiple intelligences to students can be beneficial for them and for you. It helps the students realize how they figure out problems best and how to improve in other areas. After explaining to the students about multiple intelligences, it is suggested to reinforce that idea by doing various activities that focus on different intelligences. Career day is one suggested approach as the teacher can bring in a variety of jobs that fill in all the categories. In addition some of those jobs require different intelligences. Students would see the intelligences used to effect while providing a learning opportunity. This chapter showcases some of the ways the backwards planning can work. The goal would be for students to understand how multiple intelligence works and maybe how strong their different intelligences are. The evidence would be how the intelligences work and function and some of the possible activities are listed throughout the chapter. This could be an activity used early on in the school year to help plan future lesson plans. In addition it might help suggest ways for students to study, take notes, or learn from the lessons given in class.
Ashley Godbout
If the teacher should be aware of multiple intelligences and how they work between students in their class then students should be aware of them too. It’s important for them to learn about the intelligences so they are aware of their preferred learning style but can also be open to others. When you’re aware of a way of thinking or acting then one can work to fix something problematic or to be more open-minded. It’s also important for students to be aware that not everyone learns the same way they do and since the teacher is trying to incorporate all intelligences into their class then the students need to know how to work well with others who don’t gravitate towards the same intelligence. In the section about the five-minute intro to MI theory I thought asking students ‘how many of you think you’re intelligent?’ was a silly question but as I continued reading it made sense. I found myself asking the same question the book did: “What do we do in the intervening years to convince children that they’re not intelligent?” (45). Regardless, I think asking the students questions to get them to think about their intelligences is effective because it’s an interactive exercise that will catch their interest and attention. It’s definitely more complicated to teach the intelligences to an older audience because they may not be interested or they want to know more complex information. However, I still think it’s important to have the students be aware if the teacher is going to constantly be mindful of their student’s intelligences and how they operate.
Michael Diffin
Reading response multiple intelligences Chapter 4
This chapter focuses primarily on how to teach the different intelligences. Unfortunately it appeared that most of these activities were geared towards a younger crowd knowing them can be helpful. Some of them in particular I found interesting and applicable to middle school and high school settings. These would include the one that says to hang pictures on your wall of people that illustrate each of the multiple intelligences with some sort of diagram separating them. I also like the idea of putting up pictures of students from the school participating in each of the multiple intelligences. There was a point, again geared toward a younger group of people, to bring in people for a career day. I though this was a good idea and an interactive way to incorporate the multiple intelligences into real life situations, but still showing the students that each of these professions needed multiple of the intelligences to operate efficiently. The idea of field trips was a good idea along the same line. It brings the students to facilities that show them how each of the multiple intelligences applies in real world situations. In the high school level having them read a biography about someone who learns like them is a good idea. I remember reading lots of biography’s in high school and it was always easier to read the ones where the person was relate able to myself.
Matt
I think teaching students about MI theory is very important, because most kids would never think to learn in more than one way, especially if they are successful in one already. Chapter four does a great job describing multiple ways a teacher can incorporate the eight MIs. All eight MIs have great potential to be successful with the right approach, presentation, and setting. There was one quote that I feel kind of contradicted itself in a way but its intensions are strong and meaningful. It reads, “What do we do in the intervening years to convince children that they’re not intelligent”(45)? From this I think its saying, how are our young students losing confidence over the years to feel as if they aren’t intelligent, and what are we as educators doing to cause this? This is sort of confusing and upsetting to me as an educator because I always want my students to carry positive thoughts.
To prevent this I will use activities explained in chapter four, that are also alike to those that we did during our first class period. For me, the more students understand all eight MIs, and can relate to many of them the better their chances are of being positive, proactive thinkers, and students. A few ways that I feel will be most effective for me are to inspire my kids, include them. Kids that are inspired and interested in the topic at hand are more likely to have a longer lasting interest and understanding. By including all my kids I will prevents them from zoning off, and not paying attention. I hope to instill the fear in my kids that, “ I better pay attention because I may be called on at anytime”. I hope to teach an eight-way lesson about MIs so that my students can make connections with each other, and with themselves. This will help them become better rounded, more intrigued and ultimately confidently intelligent.
Meghan
It is important for students to understand the idea of multiple intelligences. Often times, students will draw back if they feel they are inferior in any subject in school. It is important for students to understand where they fall in terms of multiple intelligences so they are able to make adjustments in order to reach their highest level of success. There are several ways that a teacher can discover the multiple intelligences of all his/her students. One way to do this is to have a career day. This will allow students to express their interests and passions, and will allow the teacher to observe all of the students at one time. Another way to do this is to take students on field trips. This will expose students to different environments, and will allow them to experience something new to help them find their desired area of intelligence. Having the students write biographies is a way to get the opinions of the students, and will also give them time to work on their writing. There are several activities that can be done to help students uncover what it is they hope to get out of school, and what it is that they feel they are best at. Giving the students this opportunity will create a level of respect, and will show the students that you take an interest in them as individuals. As a future teacher, I will make sure to do a number of these activities in the beginning of the term in order to make my students feel comfortable in my classroom.
Devin Boilard
Chapter Four: Teaching Students about MI Theory I am so appreciative that Armstrong saw the importance of including an entire chapter on the education of MI to students; I was a little surprised while reading the previous chapter at just how little he included on the matter, as they are most likely going to be your best source when gathering data on their preferred intelligences. I will have to say that I thought some of the suggestions were impractical and rather time consuming, in addition many were quite amateur in nature and would not have been task appropriate for a high school classroom. I do commend the sheer number of suggestions and the creative nature of them all. After reading this chapter I have to say that the tactic I am most convinced to use is not one listed in its pages, but rather one introduced to me in Dr. Grace Wards EDU 221 class. As a first day ice-breaker activity each student was giving a MI questionnaire, through answering scenario based questions and having intelligence specific answers to choose from, each student was tasked with determining their top two preferred intelligences. This not only acted as a vital source of information for the teacher but was enlightening to the student as well. This chapter helped express the richness of that activity and further cemented my plans to implement it into my own classroom. While I feel that I am most likely to use this method I as well think the question of what our preferred intelligence might be is a great question to re-examine halfway through the year. The factors of time and a new approach might reveal information that was not gathered the first time around.
Tyler Michaud
The fourth chapter of Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom, by Thomas Armstrong, focused on teaching students about the MI Theory. Due to the theory's relative simplicity it can be explained to children as young as first grade. I thought the way that the author introduced MI Theory to students was perfect; he was both direct and thorough. Armstrong talked about the “'MI Pizza' (a circle divided into eight slices” (pg.45), in each slice he would place two items representing an intelligence, both a symbol and a simplified name for it (“word smart” instead of “linguistic”). He would then ask extremely basic questions to elicit participation from the class, such as “who can read?” Armstrong's intention was to show the children that each of them are intelligent in every area. This kind of effort will help students build the self-confidence needed to develop their skills. For Career Day, it was suggested that the teacher allow representatives, of each intelligence, to attend in order to help students bridge connections between their own abilities and the possibilities for success. For example, having a veterinarian as a representative for naturalist could inspire those within your class that have that learning style. Teaching your students about MI Theory has its benefits, studies have shown that students that can relate what they have learned back to themselves are more successful. With that in mind, as a teacher I promise to provide opportunities for all eight intelligences.
Tyler Brown
When reading this chapter, I began to recollect different experiences in my own education where teachers either completely avoided the idea of appealing to multiple intelligences or attempted to integrate them into the curriculum but were mostly unsuccessful. I think we have all had an educational experience that we can draw from that allows us to not only see the benefit of teaching to the multiple intelligences, but to also see the negative effects of what ignoring this emerging theory might entail.
In reference to Marzano’s book The 5 Dimensions of Learning, it is stated that the very first dimension of learning is setting positive attitudes and expectations about and within the classroom. The chapter does a great job of explaining how this can be done while also introducing the concept of multiple intelligences. Armstrong would begin by stating “Each of you are intelligent in at least 8-different ways.” Verbal encouragement, along with introducing the “why” factor of future lesson plans is a great way to establish the first dimension of learning. Students benefit from this simple statement in a variety of ways. First, it allows them to begin to understand how they learn cognitively. Second, it helps eliminate negative emotions they may hold about being “unable” to do certain things (i.e. math for those who are not yet strong in their logical intelligence). Instead of the perception “I am bad at math”, the student may more positively believe that “I am currently stronger in intelligences not related to solving math problems”. It also serves as a groundwork that will enhance students understanding of future lesson plans as they are more aware of the different intelligences they are building upon, thus enriching their overall understanding of why they are there and what they are learning.
Table of Contents
Russell Warren - Abstract & Synthesis
Abstract: In the fourth chapter of Multiple Intelligences, author Thomas Armstrong suggests that for students to get the most out of their education, they must be informed of the various ways their brain works. This not only allows teachers to get a better understanding of how the students learn, but it also allows the students to reflect and investigate how their brain works and how they learn best, creating a classroom environment where everyone is working towards the best possible student success and knowledge. Armstrong continues within the chapter to highlight many of the multiple ways MI theory can be integrated into a classroom, expressing that it is important to "build inclusion." He goes on to say that he "steers clear of questions that might exclude lots of students... this is a learning model for celebrating all of one's potential for learning." Some of the examples for integration he references include Career Days, field trips, experimental actives, general icebreakers, readings, games, and MI tables, where students visit different stations based on each intelligence. The latter allows the teacher to view their progress and fluency in each intelligence, and allows the student to investigate their brain on their own time, in their own way.
Synthesis: Reading over and dissecting the opinions and views of my fellow educators, I found that we all understand the extreme and beneficial boons given when we teach MI theory to our students. Much of the time, teachers expect students know little about how they think, and the teachers set up varied lesson and learning plans attuned to the teacher's beliefs on knowledge, not how their students actually learn. By investing the time in their acquisition of knowledge and opening up the world of MI to the students, they have a "greater sense of fulfillment and reason for being in the classroom," as Cole said. Kids need names for how they learn, which, as Ashley says, allows them to think back on their thought processess and fix what wasn't working. It begins a process of thought and effort that will not stop. By teaching MI theory to the students, it's opening up doors they never dreamed were there, and allows them to grown in their intelligences outside of the classroom as well. Meghan and Devin both highlighted how it isn't much of a task, either, to implement the discussion into class - MI theory can easily be taught in the veil of a theme essay or a science experiment. Matt summed up all our opinions very well, stating: "Kids that are inspired in the topic at hand are more likely to have a longer lasting interest and understanding... the better their chances are of being positive, proactive thinkers."
Cole Phillips
Where it is important for us, as teachers, to comprehend MI theory, to implement it in the classroom, and to keep a careful eye on how it causes classes to unfold, we must be careful not to exclude our greatest resource and those who deserve to know most about MI theory: our students.
It has been determined that children as young as six or seven can become involved with the process of understanding MI. There are various ways to instruct such abstract theories, and such instruction must be catered to the age group, but in doing so we can find that children and adolescents alike can make huge strides in learning, just by recognizing what they need and, subsequently, seeking it out. To enable a student with the ability to let the instructor know exactly what he or she needs and why he or she needs it in specific terms helps teachers everywhere begin creating a more personalized experience for the student and, ultimately, a greater sense of fulfillment and reason for being in the classroom to begin with. Whether via field trips, biographies and other readings, experiential activities, wall displays and charts, or any other conceivable means of introducing the concepts of MI to students, we must understand that it is wholly possible to do so, and that students and teachers alike will benefit from the knowledge.
Cheyenne
Chapter four described ways teachers can use all eight intelligences in their classroom. It is important for students to learn about the eight intelligences. I think that there are many students who don’t really know what intelligences they possess, but at the same time, they know the intelligences they struggle with. Once a student finally realizes their main intelligence they can be more successful in the classroom and out of the classroom as well. It can help their teachers too! If a student knows what works and what doesn’t and they can explain that they learn in a specific way because of their learning style being one of the eight Multiple Intelligences. When a student can talk to their teacher about this it will help the teacher form a learning plan specific to that student. I really enjoyed the line, “all of you are intelligent—and not just in one way. Each of you is intelligent in at least eight different ways.” The reason I liked this a lot is because I think it is important for all students to know they are smart, even if they don’t think they are. Everyone has a specific intelligence, everyone is capable of learning and being smart. I think there were many great examples of ideas a teacher can propose so students can learn what their intelligence is. Some ideas included field trips, biographies, a human intelligence hunt, and more. These are all great ideas that will my students as well as myself.Chapter 4: Teaching Students about MI Theory
Russell Warren
I continue to be amazed by the simple but hidden aspects of teaching a classroom and including students. The idea to provide the students with a metacognitive study by actually teaching them the theories you, as a teacher, are applying, is a huge boon to the classroom. Not only do the students feel they have a say in their education and learn more about multiple intelligences, breaking the circle of single intelligence, but the teacher also gains an insight into the workings of the students’ brains through their own words. Unfortunately, “children go into schools as question marks and leave school as periods” (p. 45), but by allowing them to understand their own various abilities, they’ll hopefully continue to feel confident about their capacities. There are also ways to open the floors for the students to discover their abilities on their own. In Multiple Intelligences, they suggest various examples to showcase the different intelligences. I found the most effective was the concept of MI tables: “Set up eight tables in the classroom, each clearly labeled with a sign referring to one of the eight intelligences. On each table, place an activity card indicating what the students are to do.” (p. 50). Armstrong goes on to explain how to regulate the movement of the students, but I feel it might be better and more revealing to allow the students to pick which station they would want to start out at, have them list choices, and respond afterwards in a journal. That way, you gain insight into how enthusiastic any given student is over a subject, but also receive information on how they respond to the other intelligences and gives you the ability to form a rough outline based on visible evidence.
Ashley Libby
This chapter is just as the title says. It is about making sure the students know and understand the MI theory and how it relates to them. This chapter uses the explanation to a more elementary classroom and even possibly a middle school classroom. Of course everything can be modified for a higher age group. Obviously as college students, we understand the vocabulary used in the MI theory but we have to remember that the students we are teaching this to, are not at a college reading level. The chapter gives many examples on how to plan certain activities that involve all intelligences so that students can understand them easier and see them in action. This particular teacher used a MI Pizza so that the students could see all of the intelligences together and also see that not one intelligence is larger or smaller than the others. This can show the students that no matter what learning style they use, they all are still the same and they are all learners. The author put each intelligence into smaller more understandable terms for students of a certain age group. He used words such as “People smart” and “Picture smart” instead of Interpersonal and Spatial. This way they know the same of the intelligence (that’s easy for them to understand and pronounce) and a sense as to what it is about.As a teacher, I have to understand that every student learns differently but it is also important for the students to know as well. It is my job to provide those opportunities for my students. I have to give them the opportunity to understand themselves as a learner and to provide them the opportunity to learn the way that best fits them.
Christopher Vogel
As with almost all of the other chapters read so far, chapter four discusses ways to incorporate multiple or all intelligences in the classroom. As opposed to chapter three that talks about homing in on a single strong intelligence, chapter four discusses balanced or overlapping methods to teach the different intelligences. The chapter talks about how teaching multiple intelligences to students can be beneficial for them and for you. It helps the students realize how they figure out problems best and how to improve in other areas. After explaining to the students about multiple intelligences, it is suggested to reinforce that idea by doing various activities that focus on different intelligences. Career day is one suggested approach as the teacher can bring in a variety of jobs that fill in all the categories. In addition some of those jobs require different intelligences. Students would see the intelligences used to effect while providing a learning opportunity. This chapter showcases some of the ways the backwards planning can work. The goal would be for students to understand how multiple intelligence works and maybe how strong their different intelligences are. The evidence would be how the intelligences work and function and some of the possible activities are listed throughout the chapter. This could be an activity used early on in the school year to help plan future lesson plans. In addition it might help suggest ways for students to study, take notes, or learn from the lessons given in class.
Ashley Godbout
If the teacher should be aware of multiple intelligences and how they work between students in their class then students should be aware of them too. It’s important for them to learn about the intelligences so they are aware of their preferred learning style but can also be open to others. When you’re aware of a way of thinking or acting then one can work to fix something problematic or to be more open-minded. It’s also important for students to be aware that not everyone learns the same way they do and since the teacher is trying to incorporate all intelligences into their class then the students need to know how to work well with others who don’t gravitate towards the same intelligence. In the section about the five-minute intro to MI theory I thought asking students ‘how many of you think you’re intelligent?’ was a silly question but as I continued reading it made sense. I found myself asking the same question the book did: “What do we do in the intervening years to convince children that they’re not intelligent?” (45). Regardless, I think asking the students questions to get them to think about their intelligences is effective because it’s an interactive exercise that will catch their interest and attention. It’s definitely more complicated to teach the intelligences to an older audience because they may not be interested or they want to know more complex information. However, I still think it’s important to have the students be aware if the teacher is going to constantly be mindful of their student’s intelligences and how they operate.
Michael Diffin
Reading response multiple intelligences Chapter 4This chapter focuses primarily on how to teach the different intelligences. Unfortunately it appeared that most of these activities were geared towards a younger crowd knowing them can be helpful. Some of them in particular I found interesting and applicable to middle school and high school settings. These would include the one that says to hang pictures on your wall of people that illustrate each of the multiple intelligences with some sort of diagram separating them. I also like the idea of putting up pictures of students from the school participating in each of the multiple intelligences. There was a point, again geared toward a younger group of people, to bring in people for a career day. I though this was a good idea and an interactive way to incorporate the multiple intelligences into real life situations, but still showing the students that each of these professions needed multiple of the intelligences to operate efficiently. The idea of field trips was a good idea along the same line. It brings the students to facilities that show them how each of the multiple intelligences applies in real world situations. In the high school level having them read a biography about someone who learns like them is a good idea. I remember reading lots of biography’s in high school and it was always easier to read the ones where the person was relate able to myself.
Matt
I think teaching students about MI theory is very important, because most kids would never think to learn in more than one way, especially if they are successful in one already. Chapter four does a great job describing multiple ways a teacher can incorporate the eight MIs. All eight MIs have great potential to be successful with the right approach, presentation, and setting. There was one quote that I feel kind of contradicted itself in a way but its intensions are strong and meaningful. It reads, “What do we do in the intervening years to convince children that they’re not intelligent”(45)? From this I think its saying, how are our young students losing confidence over the years to feel as if they aren’t intelligent, and what are we as educators doing to cause this? This is sort of confusing and upsetting to me as an educator because I always want my students to carry positive thoughts.
To prevent this I will use activities explained in chapter four, that are also alike to those that we did during our first class period. For me, the more students understand all eight MIs, and can relate to many of them the better their chances are of being positive, proactive thinkers, and students. A few ways that I feel will be most effective for me are to inspire my kids, include them. Kids that are inspired and interested in the topic at hand are more likely to have a longer lasting interest and understanding. By including all my kids I will prevents them from zoning off, and not paying attention. I hope to instill the fear in my kids that, “ I better pay attention because I may be called on at anytime”. I hope to teach an eight-way lesson about MIs so that my students can make connections with each other, and with themselves. This will help them become better rounded, more intrigued and ultimately confidently intelligent.
Meghan
It is important for students to understand the idea of multiple intelligences. Often times, students will draw back if they feel they are inferior in any subject in school. It is important for students to understand where they fall in terms of multiple intelligences so they are able to make adjustments in order to reach their highest level of success. There are several ways that a teacher can discover the multiple intelligences of all his/her students. One way to do this is to have a career day. This will allow students to express their interests and passions, and will allow the teacher to observe all of the students at one time. Another way to do this is to take students on field trips. This will expose students to different environments, and will allow them to experience something new to help them find their desired area of intelligence. Having the students write biographies is a way to get the opinions of the students, and will also give them time to work on their writing. There are several activities that can be done to help students uncover what it is they hope to get out of school, and what it is that they feel they are best at. Giving the students this opportunity will create a level of respect, and will show the students that you take an interest in them as individuals. As a future teacher, I will make sure to do a number of these activities in the beginning of the term in order to make my students feel comfortable in my classroom.Devin Boilard
Chapter Four: Teaching Students about MI TheoryI am so appreciative that Armstrong saw the importance of including an entire chapter on the education of MI to students; I was a little surprised while reading the previous chapter at just how little he included on the matter, as they are most likely going to be your best source when gathering data on their preferred intelligences. I will have to say that I thought some of the suggestions were impractical and rather time consuming, in addition many were quite amateur in nature and would not have been task appropriate for a high school classroom. I do commend the sheer number of suggestions and the creative nature of them all.
After reading this chapter I have to say that the tactic I am most convinced to use is not one listed in its pages, but rather one introduced to me in Dr. Grace Wards EDU 221 class. As a first day ice-breaker activity each student was giving a MI questionnaire, through answering scenario based questions and having intelligence specific answers to choose from, each student was tasked with determining their top two preferred intelligences. This not only acted as a vital source of information for the teacher but was enlightening to the student as well. This chapter helped express the richness of that activity and further cemented my plans to implement it into my own classroom. While I feel that I am most likely to use this method I as well think the question of what our preferred intelligence might be is a great question to re-examine halfway through the year. The factors of time and a new approach might reveal information that was not gathered the first time around.
Tyler Michaud
The fourth chapter of Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom, by Thomas Armstrong, focused on teaching students about the MI Theory. Due to the theory's relative simplicity it can be explained to children as young as first grade. I thought the way that the author introduced MI Theory to students was perfect; he was both direct and thorough. Armstrong talked about the “'MI Pizza' (a circle divided into eight slices” (pg.45), in each slice he would place two items representing an intelligence, both a symbol and a simplified name for it (“word smart” instead of “linguistic”). He would then ask extremely basic questions to elicit participation from the class, such as “who can read?” Armstrong's intention was to show the children that each of them are intelligent in every area. This kind of effort will help students build the self-confidence needed to develop their skills. For Career Day, it was suggested that the teacher allow representatives, of each intelligence, to attend in order to help students bridge connections between their own abilities and the possibilities for success. For example, having a veterinarian as a representative for naturalist could inspire those within your class that have that learning style. Teaching your students about MI Theory has its benefits, studies have shown that students that can relate what they have learned back to themselves are more successful. With that in mind, as a teacher I promise to provide opportunities for all eight intelligences.Tyler Brown
When reading this chapter, I began to recollect different experiences in my own education where teachers either completely avoided the idea of appealing to multiple intelligences or attempted to integrate them into the curriculum but were mostly unsuccessful. I think we have all had an educational experience that we can draw from that allows us to not only see the benefit of teaching to the multiple intelligences, but to also see the negative effects of what ignoring this emerging theory might entail.In reference to Marzano’s book The 5 Dimensions of Learning, it is stated that the very first dimension of learning is setting positive attitudes and expectations about and within the classroom. The chapter does a great job of explaining how this can be done while also introducing the concept of multiple intelligences. Armstrong would begin by stating “Each of you are intelligent in at least 8-different ways.” Verbal encouragement, along with introducing the “why” factor of future lesson plans is a great way to establish the first dimension of learning. Students benefit from this simple statement in a variety of ways. First, it allows them to begin to understand how they learn cognitively. Second, it helps eliminate negative emotions they may hold about being “unable” to do certain things (i.e. math for those who are not yet strong in their logical intelligence). Instead of the perception “I am bad at math”, the student may more positively believe that “I am currently stronger in intelligences not related to solving math problems”. It also serves as a groundwork that will enhance students understanding of future lesson plans as they are more aware of the different intelligences they are building upon, thus enriching their overall understanding of why they are there and what they are learning.